16 Sep Health Data News Roundup: Optima Health and SDOH; CONNECT Interoperability Goes Private; and AHA and Patient Identification

Welcome to the Health Data Weekly News Roundup from IMAT Solutions. As the power of data continues to grow in the healthcare arena, today’s care organizations need to be on the forefront of all news and trends to help ensure that their data analytics efforts deliver accountable and informed care. Each week, we will provide you with the actionable news you need to meet these goals.

Optima Health’s Medicaid Addresses Food Security, Social Determinants
Optima Health collaborates with Solutran’s Healthy Savings program to lower financial barriers to healthy food options, increase food security and address other social determinants of health.

AHA Urges Senate Appropriators to Support Unique Patient ID Research
The American Hospital Association has called on leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee to overturn a 20-year prohibition on using federal funding for a unique patient identifier to address the widespread problem of misidentification.

Cigna Uses Industry Consolidation to Increase Access to Gene Therapy
With its newly consolidated company, Cigna and Express Scripts are diving into the costly field of gene therapy and intend to increase members’ access through their new program, Embarc Benefit Protection.

CONNECT Interoperability Project Shifting to the Private Sector
The CONNECT project, an open source project that aims to increase interoperability among organizations, is transitioning from federal stewardship to the private sector and will soon be available to everyone.

EHRA Expresses Concern with Senate Committee on Finance Over PDPRA
The Electronic Health Record Association (EHRA) voiced their concerns about the Senate Finance Committee for their efforts, or lack thereof, to promote price transparency and reduce costs for prescription drugs, regarding the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019.

Verification Program Tests Interoperability of Technology Solutions
The Center for Medical Interoperability (the Center) has announced the launch of C4MI Verified, a testing program that determines compliance with selected interoperability standards.

Pentagon’s New Electronic Health Records System Deployed to Second Wave of Bases
The second wave of military medical facilities have adopted the Pentagon’s enterprise electronic health records system, MHS GENESIS, expanding the program to four more bases in the Western United States.